Early iMac Reviews Praise Design and Display Enhancements

newimacWith Apple's new iMac going on sale today, the first reviews of the new machine are starting to arrive. The reviews come alongside some early teardown photos and benchmarks offering an early glimpse at Apple's redesigned flagship desktop.

CNET has a thorough review of the 27-inch model, which won't be shipping to customers for several more weeks, noting that while the design is the major change to the machine, iterative improvements on already impressive performance-related specs keep the iMac in solid position.

You might be alarmed by the fact that the design is the most interesting thing about the new iMac. A thin bezel is nice to look at, but it doesn't improve processing speed, workflow, or overall utility. Fortunately for Apple, it evolved that design from a computer with a strong technical foundation. It is the updates to that foundation, and a few points of polish along the way, that keep this iMac on elite footing.


CNET's review machine, a souped-up $2599 model with 3.4 GHz Core i7 processor, 1 TB Fusion Drive, and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX graphics, performed quite well in benchmark tests and features Apple's new display lamination process that greatly reduces reflectivity. The new iMac compares relatively favorably to Dell's XPS One 27 in many respects, with the Dell's touch capabilities and Blu-ray drive perhaps being significant factors in its favor for some users.

The Verge has also reviewed both sizes of the new iMac and was similarly impressed by the new display process being used by Apple.

The IPS panels are the same as in last year’s iMacs, but they’re better integrated now — Apple says that by laminating the display to the glass it reduced reflections up to 70 percent, and indeed the glare problems that beset so many displays are much less present here, though there's still some reflection and glare. The improved manufacturing also makes whatever’s on the screen feel closer to you, almost like things are jumping out of the panel. The display's glossy bezel, which houses its HD FaceTime camera, is actually the most reflective part of the whole machine now.

I have to say, I was really surprised to see how much better the screen could be without a single change to the actual technology — but hey, I guess plastic surgery can work wonders. Both screens have fantastic color reproduction, are remarkably (like, blindingly) bright, and have near-180-degree viewing angles.

Overall, The Verge gives both iMac models scores of 9.0, noting that it is "still the best all-in-one device out there" but suggesting that the door is open for Windows 8 machines integrating advanced features like touchscreens and media center software to compete strongly with the iMac.

Related Roundup: iMac
Buyer's Guide: iMac (Don't Buy)
Related Forum: iMac

Top Rated Comments

Silmarien Avatar
141 months ago
Purchased 3 fully loaded iMacs. 1 27 for me and 2 21 inchers for my 8 year old twin daughters (they hate sharing).

Score: 45 Votes (Like | Disagree)
unlimitedx Avatar
141 months ago
maybe it's just me, but it doesn't seem too ergonomic to have a touchscreen for a desktop. a tablet.. yes.. but desktop my arms would have to keep hovering in the air frequently to do tasks if i were to really forego the traditional keyboard/mouse
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SPUY767 Avatar
141 months ago
maybe it's just me, but it doesn't seem too ergonomic to have a touchscreen for a desktop. a tablet.. yes.. but desktop my arms would have to keep hovering in the air frequently to do tasks if i were to really forego the traditional keyboard/mouse

That is the entire premise of windows 8, touch for the sake of itself. Not because you need it, or because its the right tool for the job, rather because it's touch and that's awesome, ignore that it makes simple tasks on a traditional computer less intuitive and more time consuming.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Renzatic Avatar
141 months ago
That's why Dell's computer has special stand that folds. It does not go completely horizontal but it folds like this:

Image (http://media.gdgt.com/img/products/473/a5hj/a5hj-460.jpg)
Or this...



...which is the second time I've posted this picture today, in response to the same tired argument.

Most people griping about monkey arms or whatever are only doing so because Steve Jobs said something back in the day, and now they're regurgitating it nonstop in an attempt to look smart.

You know, he was right...when it comes to vertically standing monitors. But for screens you can slide right in front of you and tilt back? There's no reason not to have them touch enabled. They'll be as comfortable to use as an iPad.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
shiseiryu1 Avatar
141 months ago
Desktop with mobile graphics?

I'd still prefer to have a slightly bigger machine with desktop-level graphics instead of a mobile GPU. :(
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Dr McKay Avatar
141 months ago
maybe it's just me, but it doesn't seem too ergonomic to have a touchscreen for a desktop. a tablet.. yes.. but desktop my arms would have to keep hovering in the air frequently to do tasks if i were to really forego the traditional keyboard/mouse

It's not you. It's common sense, and exactly why Apple has _not_ entertained the idea of a touch-screen computer. That said, as people use touch more on tablets and phones, the expectation to touch the screen on regular computers is growing. I've even found myself trying to interact with the screen on my laptop only to realize that I wasn't using my iPad. hahaha

Macs will eventually have a touch-screen monitor, simply to stay in line with consumer expectations, but the time is not right just yet.

"Touchcreen features” in an all-in-one are an outstanding idea!

If you want forearms like Popeye.

Image (http://a0.twimg.com/profile_images/1336289250/Popeye_2_reasonably_small.jpg)

Hold on. I'm gonna quote myself...



...it was like 4 posts back.

There really is no point pointing this out, people will continue to ignore your post or simply not read it at all, they will spout the stuff Steve Jobs said about Touchscreens, had it before with Steve on "If it has a stylus, it failed"

Steves word is law, and everybody else is wrong.

Ignoring the fact that Apple has already patented a touchscreen iMac that folds like those you posted.



When Apple eventually does release a touchscreen iMac, all childish insults towards touchscreen PC's will vanish overnight as people scramble to buy 12 each, and PC's who have touchscreen will have copied Apple.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Details: Action Button, USB-C Port, Face ID, and More

Wednesday September 27, 2023 1:34 pm PDT by
Significant changes are expected to arrive with Apple's fourth-generation iPhone SE, in terms of both design and hardware, MacRumors has learned. The iPhone SE 4, known internally under the codename Ghost, is expected to receive a new design derived almost entirely from the base model iPhone 14. According to our sources, the iPhone SE 4 will use a modified version of the iPhone 14 chassis...
Multi Display CarPlay 1

All-New Apple CarPlay Launching Later This Year With These 5 New Features

Friday September 29, 2023 11:29 am PDT by
At WWDC 2022 last year, Apple previewed the next generation of CarPlay, promising deeper integration with vehicle functions like A/C and FM radio, support for multiple displays across the dashboard, personalization options, and more. Apple said the first vehicles with support for the next-generation CarPlay experience would be announced in late 2023, but it has still not shared any additional...
iOS 17

Everything New in iOS 17.1 Beta 1

Wednesday September 27, 2023 1:57 pm PDT by
Just a week after releasing iOS 17, Apple has seeded the first beta of iOS 17.1 to developers. iOS 17.1 adds some features that Apple promised were coming to iOS 17 in the future, plus it refines and improves some existing features. This guide covers everything new in the first iOS 17.1 beta. Apple Music Favorites You can favorite songs, albums, playlists, and artists in the iOS 17.1...
iPhone 15 Pro lineup

iPhone 15 Pro Overheating Concerns Highlighted in Two More Reports

Thursday September 28, 2023 6:25 am PDT by
iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max overheating concerns continue to make headlines this week, with the topic highlighted by The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg. Both of the reports document anecdotal complaints from customers, and outline potential causes, but it's unclear how many devices are actually affected. Bloomberg said the overheating could be caused or compounded by the iPhone's setup...
iPhone 15 Pro lineup

Apple to Address iPhone 15 Pro Overheating Issue With iOS 17 Update

Saturday September 30, 2023 9:28 am PDT by
Apple plans to release an iOS 17 update to address a bug that may contribute to the reported iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max overheating issue, according to a statement the company shared today with MacRumors and Forbes reporter David Phelan. Apple also says some recent updates to third-party apps have overloaded the system and contributed to the overheating issue. The report notes that...
iPhone 15 USB C Port Keynote

Some USB-C Power Banks Fail to Work With iPhone 15

Thursday September 28, 2023 2:06 pm PDT by
Apple added a USB-C port to the iPhone 15 lineup this year, allowing it to work with USB-C cables, USB-C power banks, and more. It turns out that some USB-C battery packs are not working properly with Apple's iPhone 15, resulting in charging issues. As highlighted on Reddit and the MacRumors forums, not all existing USB-C power banks can be used with the iPhone 15 models, perhaps due to the...
iOS 17

Apple Releases iOS 17.0.2 and iPadOS 17.0.2 for All iPhones and iPads

Tuesday September 26, 2023 12:47 pm PDT by
Apple today released iOS 17.0.2 and iPadOS 17.0.2 updates, with the software coming five days after the releases of iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1. Today's iOS 17.0.2 and iPadOS 17.0.2 updates arrive as build 21A351 and can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Note that iOS 17.0.2 was previously made available for iPhone...